PRO-ELEVEN

The Pro-Eleven is a rare and significant find from 1935, marking one of the earliest electro-mechanical (EM) pinball machines produced by Advance Amusement Co. of Los Angeles, California, and predating the invention of the player-controlled flipper by over a decade.

One of the standout aspects of the Pro-Eleven is its use of 12 automatic ball kickers, mechanical devices designed to propel the ball around the playfield — a notable departure from earlier pinballs that relied purely on gravity and ramps for gameplay. In fact, a 1935 Billboard article defended the game against concerns that these new automatic kicker devices reduced the role of player skill in pinball. The machine also includes an automatic ball lift and an aerial habitrail, showing attention to mechanical detail for its era.

While specific details about its designer are unknown, it's clear that the Pro-Eleven was designed with football enthusiasts in mind, given its sports theme. One fascinating aspect of this machine is its relatively small size compared to modern pinballs — measuring 44 inches long and 22 inches wide, a cabinet size typical of games from this early period.